Illegal wetbacks are worrying council

Press, 15 May 1985, Page 9

Illegal wetbacks are worrying council

Illegal installations of wetbacks or hot-water boosters are causing increasing concern to the Canterbury United Council’s air pollution committee. The biggest concern is the risk of fire if a wetback has been installed without a permit, since boilers without water are liable to explode, according to a Christchurch City Council report. In a letter to a committee meeting, the Clean Air Council said that only the performance of Siesta Woodfyre appliance with a wetback had been determined. The council was concerned that fitting a wetback to other appliances would reduce the temperature inside the appliance which could lead to smoke emission.

The committee’s chairman, Mr G. R. Marriner, said in his report that a wetback could affect combustion efficiency and there-

fore cause more pollution than an open fire. “It would be most inappropriate for local authorities to agree with the installation of appliances that have been known not to comply with the Clean Air Zone Order provisions,” he said. “Before reaching any decision discussions should be held with the Clean Air Council and manufacturers.” The committee agreed to report to the United Council. It also agreed to recommend to constituent authorities that until the matter was resolved no more permits for wetbacks should be issued. Coal Merchants The Canterbury Coal Merchants’ Association has told committee members that it would be willing to help prevent the sale of coal with a high sulphur content, Mr Marriner said.

“The association is also considering our request that it use a logo on its bags of coal to indicate that the coal complies with the Clean Air Zone Order,” he said. “The association said that it had made available a large amount of coal which already complied with the order. “The domestic coal business apparently gets well under way when the first cold weather starts, as during this week, and continues frantically for the next three months.” Spraying Mr P. V. Neary said that the committee should be wary of a potential pollution problem with horticultural spraying near urban areas. “There has already been some attention drawn to the hazards of this spraying on people’s ability to resist viruses, including Tapanui flu,” he said.